“It’s Time to Envision a Different Future”: Energizing The Wisdom of Baby Boomers

Third Half Advisors advocates for people to “envision a different future”. Their call to action is an energizing opportunity to support Baby Boomers as they shape their future. Author Bill Plotkins frames this time as an “overdue call to adventure”. It’s not just retirement or even semiretirement or a big transition… it’s “Adventure”.

How can we reframe a major transition to look and feel like an adventure? How do we tap in to the experience, expertise, and wisdom of this baby boomer demographic? How do we learn from each other?

On February 7, twenty-five people gathered in Greenwich, CT to discuss this call to adventure and opportunity to envision a different future. Men and women from New York City and Greenwich gathered to reflect on their careers as executives and their desire to have a meaningful “third half”. Third Half Advisors hosted the day-long workshop that encouraged inquiry, dialogue, curiosity, and visioning. Together we explored managing time, having fun, embracing a positive mindset, and discovering new experiences. As the strengths-based facilitator in the room, I was energized by watching individuals name and claim their strengths in a new way, to create a new future.

Dan Gilbert reminds us that “human beings are works in progress that mistakenly think they are finished”. Chip Conely encourages his participants of the Modern Elder Academy to “grow whole, not old”. How do we maintain that work in progress mindset as we grow whole?

Several participants expressed some concerns about this transition from full time corporate employee/boss to….new job, part time job, volunteer work, grandparent, traveler, the list is endless. One of the comments that stuck with me was….”What am I going to say when someone asks me…What do you do? This is the opening question when you live and work in this area”. There was an undertone of fear and vulnerability in that question that I so honor.

Let’s reframe this “third half” to an adventure metaphor. If you were planning or dreaming about a travel adventure you might ask yourself:

What am I longing to do?

Who am I longing to spend time with?

What would I like to do? learn?

Where could I do some of these things?

How would I spend my time once there? What are the priorities?

Do I have the resources? How might I find the resources?

These questions are powerful ones to consider as people transition into a “Third Half”. I would also add one more question…

How can I share what I have learned in my career with others? How can I leverage my greatest strengths to create the future that I want as a forty to ninety year old?

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